Medicine-spoon



NoModel.)

J. MOPFITT.

MEDICINE SPOON. No. 285,054. Patented Sept. 18, 1883.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

JOHN MOFFITT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MEDlC-lNE-'SPOON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 285,054, dated September 18, 1883.

' Application filed December 15, 1882. (No model.)

. To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN MOFFITT, acitizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spoons for Administering Medicines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification- Figure 1 being a top View of the improved spoon; Fig. 2, a side view thereof; Fig. 3, a

. central longitudinal section of the same.

, Like letters designate corresponding parts in all of the figures.

My invention consists, essentially, in a spoon having a handle with a passage through it leading from the bowl of the spoon to the upper end thereof, where it has a dischargeoutlet, whereby the medicine may be administered through the handle to the patient. In combination with this discharging-handle, the invention further consists in a cover or cap upon the back part of the bowl of the spoon, to serve as a funnel to lead the contents of the spoon to the handle.

' In the drawings, A represents the bowl of the spoon; B, the handle thereof, having a passage, a, through it, and a discharge-outlet, b, at its upper end; and G, the funnel-cap on the bowl. The medicine having been put into the bowl of the spoon, the handle B is then inserted in the mouth of the patient so that the handle will reach well back over the tongue of the patient, and the bowl is then raised until the "contents are discharged through the handle, and thus administered with certainty.

. The handle B is properly curved backward, about as the handle of an ordinary. spoon, so as to fit readily over the tongue.- It is quite thin from top to bottom, so as to occupy little space in that direction, and thepassage a may be formed by soldering or otherwise securing a cap-plate, c, on the ordinary handle-plate, d,

one orboth plates'being curved transversely to form an inelosed space between them. The funnelcap C may be applied in asimilar way.

The advantages of thisspoon for this purpose are great, and will be readily understood without enumeration. It insures the administering of the entire quantity of medicine by delivering it so far back in the mouth that it must be swallowed. This is frequently a difficult thing to do in the ordinary way, especially to children, and to adults that are delirious or obstinate, or have some impediment in the mouth. Therefore there is no waste of costly medicine nor spilling of medicine to the injury of clothes, and no failure to administer the full and exact dose prescribed. Another important advantage is that disagreeable medicines are readily taken thereby with scarcely a taste of it, it being first applied far back on the tongue, or nearly into the throat; and another advantage is that medicines injurious to the teeth or gums may thus be administered without coming into contact with theteeth at all, and in all cases much less care is required, and ignorant or careless persons may give medicines with certainty and without acci dent.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A spoon for administering medicines,

having a handle provided with a passage, a,

. JOHN MOFFITT.

WVitnesses: I

" ANTHONY G. MORAN,

D. R. BnowNE. 

